


Contest

by IvoryCrest



Series: The Shadow & The Light [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, One Shot, Sparring, magic fight, mutual respect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 18:50:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18834619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvoryCrest/pseuds/IvoryCrest
Summary: Mages always need to now who's better.





	Contest

"We can begin whenever you wish. Since it was I that asked, you can have the first cast," Essiks voice echoed in the arena.

Caleb looked at the space around him. It was roughly a circle of 80ft in diameter. The walls were 15ft tall. His friends stood on the wall, protected by a cement barrier. On the opposite side, there were a few hooded figured, watching. This match's outcome will be returning to someone of importance, perhaps the Queen.

In the beginning, Caleb was apprehensive about this bout. While he would see dunamancy up close, he would also be giving away his talents. His magic was something he held dear. It was the only thing that was his. When he escaped the asylum, it was one of the few things he could drown himself in to forget, but it was also a reminder.

This scene reminds him of the earlier years. The constant, rigorous training. All that time spent honing his magic, the casting. His friends would be the targets. The parallel was ironically painful.

"All right. If you are ready, Shadowhand," Caleb pulled his spellbook from the holster and threw his coat up to his friends, to whoever might catch it.

The drow smiled, pulling his tome from thin air. They both took their stances. Caleb took a breath, steadying himself as best he could. He was about to go against a mage whose magic he knows little of. It'll take time to maneuver about it.

He can't think of these things now. At this moment, he needs to concentrate. Focus on the task at hand.

With an extension of his hand, four missiles shoot out, instantly flying towards the drow. Essik must've been too busy analyzing his casting to take notice of the missiles heading toward him. Each hit, setting him back a few feet.

Essik shook the blasts off. It hurt him, but he'll be damned if he gives the human the satisfaction. Instead, he mutters beneath his breath and draws a small sigil before him. It lights up a faint purple before vanishing.

Caleb feels his head swim for a moment. The world seems to shift, wanting him to lose his balance, his center of gravity, but he shrugs it off.

"Not bad," Essik admits. "Looks like you have some talent, but enough formalities. Show me something interesting."

Talent. The word echoed in his mind. It's what got him his magic prowess: talent, hard work, and sacrifice. Long days and sleepless nights were constant. Rarely was there a reprieve.

Suddenly Caleb's body is forced back 20 ft. He hits the wall behind him; his head rings from the impact as he tries to level himself.

"Stay on task, Widogast!" Beau yells from where she stands.

"Kick his ass, Caleb!" Jester and Nott shout in unison.

Caleb focus' on their voices. The ringing stops and his vision stills. A small smile comes to him as the memories fade back into their set places. He feels a sudden rush of magic in the area and on instinct casts his counterspell.

Both spells clash in a bright spark before Essik's is nullified. The casting strains Caleb some. The last spell did some damage. The human doesn't have much of a constitution. Depending on the next spells, he may not win.

With his hand, Caleb begins to curl his fingers. The ground around Essik starts to tremble. The familiar cat's paw rises from the ground. The shadowhand attempt to get out of reach, but fails. However, something happens. What should've been a successful grapple now seemed to have failed, as if fate had willed it so. It was the same magic as the Beacon.

Essik grinned, taking amusement with Caleb's irritation. With a graceful movement, a bright, blue energy channels down his arm and comes for Caleb. Before the human can think of raising his shield, the electricity hits his chest, coursing through his body.

Caleb crumples to his knees but still breathes. Again, he calls for the cat's paw to restrain the other wizard. This time, it succeeds. Essik clenches his teeth as it takes hold of him.

With a bit of a struggle, Caleb rises. Essik tries to break free but fails. He curses under his breath as his eyes rest on the red-headed wizard.

"Jester," Caleb calls. "Get ready to heal. He might need it."

A bright streak leaves Caleb, falling to Essik. A massive explosion of fire shook the arena. The Nein ducked down to avoid the heat of the blast. Caleb felt the familiar heat of the explosion.

Slowly the smoke cleared. Caleb dropped the cat's paw, Essik along with it. He was still alive and conscious, but more wounded than Caleb. Jester leaped down, skipping to the drow and casting a healing spell. A majority of his wounds closed, but some remained. Caleb walked over, and Jester grabbed his hand from where she sat, doing the same.

"Well, that was a wonder sparring, wouldn't you say, Mr. Widogast?" Essik said from where he still laid. "A mage from the empire against Xhorhas' finest. Who would've thought this would be the outcome?"

Caleb extended his hand to the man. Essik took it and rose from the ground, but Caleb didn't let go. Instead, he held his arm still, keeping his gaze locked on the mage before him.

"Once upon a time, I... was you. I was confident, prideful, charming, everything I was meant to be. I followed the Empire with blind faith. Everything I did was for my home. I was to be something different than I am today. I was a prodigy that fell from his grace. I am a mage from the Empire, but I am not of the Empire. I hope you'll remember that, Shadowhand."

"Of course, Mr. Widogast. I'll make a note of it. If I may speak honestly, I'm impressed by your skills. Perhaps we could continue this study further."

"Well, curiosity did kill the cat."

 


End file.
